Question 1

What rewards does God promise to those who believe in him?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 128:1-4How joyful are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be! Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.God promises that a life of wisdom and obedience will bring natural and supernatural rewards.James 1:12God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.Revelation 11:18The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”God promises that the ultimate reward for those who trust him is eternal life.Ezekiel 18:20The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.God promises to reward his people based on their deeds.Hebrews 11:6It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.God promises the reward of his presence to those who seek him.Matthew 6:1-6“Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. . . . When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”“The rewards of insincere spirituality and hypocrisy are paltry when compared to those of genuine faith.Ephesians 2:9Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.God promises salvation, forgiveness of sin, and eternal life with him to those who believe in him.

Question 2

Should I work for rewards beyond this world?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 3:10-15Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.2 Corinthians 5:9-10So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.2 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.Hebrews 3:14If we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.Hebrews 11:6It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.James 1:12God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.Revelation 2:10“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”Revelation 11:18The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”Gaining rewards after death should not be our motivation for living for Christ, but as we work to serve God and others here on earth, we are storing up rewards in heaven. Heavenly rewards await those who are faithful to God now.1 Samuel 26:23“The Lord gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal.”Psalm 84:11The Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.God rewards those who work hard to do what is right, both in this life and the next. Often the hard work and service we do for others here on earth will bring rewards in heaven.

Question 3

What rewards in this lifetime will I receive for following Jesus?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 84:11The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.Hebrews 11:6It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.As faithful followers of Christ, we will receive personal and spiritual rewards that are beyond anything this world can offer.Matthew 6:4“Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”Acts of devotion—such as giving, prayer, and fasting—bring the reward of pleasing Jesus and the satisfaction of serving him.Matthew 10:40-42“Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”Jesus blesses those who bless others. Acts of compassion and caring for others will be rewarded.1 Timothy 3:10Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.If we faithfully serve in the church, we may be given the reward of greater responsibility and leadership.James 1:25If you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.If we obey and follow the commands and life principles in Scripture, we will be rewarded by experiencing fewer of sin’s painful consequences, and thus a happier and healthier life.James 2:13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.If we show mercy to others, we will be rewarded with mercy in return when we need it.James 1:5-7If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.James 3:13If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.The more we try to live for Jesus and do good, the more he will reward us with wisdom.1 John 1:7If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.When we allow God to shine the light of his righteousness on the dark and sinful areas of our lives, we will be rewarded with forgiveness and the freedom of hearts that are not enslaved to sin.Ephesians 2:8-10God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.James 1:12God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.Jesus guarantees eternal life to those who trust in him alone for salvation and who patiently and faithfully endure difficulties, hardships, and tests in this life in order to follow him.Psalm 128:1How joyful are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways!Psalm 146:5Joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.Jeremiah 17:7“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.”A life focused on God brings joy to God and us along with many other blessings. The more we trust and obey God, the more we will experience these blessings.Hebrews 11:6It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.Seeking God brings the reward of experiencing his presence. We were created by and for him, and only his presence in our lives can bring us true satisfaction.

Question 4

What rewards await me in heaven?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 2:9That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”The best rewards we can imagine pale in comparison with what the Lord has in store for us in heaven. Everyone who is a follower of Jesus has much to look forward to. Heaven is where we will experience fellowship with the Lord and all who have loved and honored him.Matthew 5:11-12“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”Jesus says that those who have been persecuted for their faith will receive a great reward.Hebrews 4:9So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.The rest promised in heaven is the refreshment and satisfaction of savoring a completed, fulfilled work. Like an architect who enjoys living in a building that he or she designed, or a gardener who savors the fruits of hard labor, so we will enjoy the rest and refreshment of the Lord’s work in our lives.2 Timothy 4:7-8I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.Faithfulness to Christ brings an eternal reward of righteousness.

Question 5

What rewards do spiritual leaders receive?

Accepted Answer

1 Peter 5:1-4Now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.Selfless service brings great rewards.Philippians 4:1My dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.A great reward for leaders is seeing the positive impact they have made in people’s lives.Numbers 14:24“My servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.”Ephesians 6:7-8Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.God will reward all who are faithful to him in how they live and serve.2 Samuel 22:25-27“The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence. To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.”Psalm 58:11Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.”Faithful leaders know God more deeply and experience more deeply the grace of God’s faithfulness.Matthew 24:45-47“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.”Luke 19:17“‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’God rewards leaders who been faithful in small things with even greater opportunities to serve.

Rewards